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“Fire first, ask questions later!” says MoD

A report published by the government’s spending watchdog confirms PCS warnings that the Ministry of Defence is cutting loyal, skilled staff before working out how it will support our armed forces in the months and years ahead.

The National Audit Office report says the fact that key skills are being lost now, and not after a full and proper defence review, is distressing for the military personnel that PCS members support.

As part of their defence review in October 2010, ministers announced there would be 25,000 civilian job losses by 2015. This was increased by 3,000 only three weeks ago, but today that figure has risen by another 1,000 to 29,000.

Tens of thousands of civilian staff in the MoD have given dedicated service, many for their full careers. The union says to be treated like this will further damage morale in a department where staff confidence in senior management is at its lowest ebb.

The union maintains there is an alternative to the cuts in the MoD and wider civil service and that there is no need for any redundancies in the department.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “We have been working with the MoD to identify alternatives to spending cuts, and this work is already bearing fruit.

“Instead of cutting jobs to meet arbitrary targets, the government should be investing in its own staff in the MoD and the wider civil service to maintain the vital services they provide and help our economy to grow.”